Ggm: This time, trucks parked at Namaz spot as disruptions go on
gurugram: In what has now become a weekly affair in Gurugram now, where public spaces for Muslim devotees to offer prayers has been shrinking with the administration succumbing to pressures of rogue right-wing Hindu outfits, protesters under the banner of Sanyukt Sanghrsh Hindu Samiti disrupted public prayers at Sector-37 yet again this Friday — as the police detained around 20 of them — following which some parts of the designated plot were freed up for Namaz.
Significantly, among those that were detained on Friday was also Dinesh Bharti of Bharat Mata Vahini, against whom the Gurugram Police had days ago received a complaint for disturbing religious harmony — which is yet to be converted into an FIR by the authorities. The complaint was filed by the Jamaat-e-Ulema Hind, which had also accused other members of Hindu outfits of disrupting social and religious harmony.
This Friday, the protesters under the SSHS banner claimed that there was no parking space for trucks in the city and went ahead to park a host of them on the plot of land in Sector-37 — thus blocking space for prayers.
Despite the challenges, local Muslims led by Haji Shahzad Khan of Muslim Ekta Manch came at the site to offer Namaz in whatever little spot they could find available. And while they were praying, the protesters surrounded them and chanted slogans of "Jai Shree Ram" in their faces.
Taking cognisance of the hostility and tension around the area, the Gurugram Police deployed a large number of its personnel at the site to ensure that the situation did not further become further acrimonious.The Gurugram Police was criticised of lack of action last week when Hindu right group members were successful in disrupting Namaz of Muslim devotees.
To intimidate the Muslim devotees, one protester came in front of Haji Shahzad Khan and started shouting that public Namaz will not and cannot be allowed in public places. As a policeman came to calm him down, he also shouted at him before being detained. Around 20 people were detained on Friday for trying to disrupt the Namaz.
Loud chants of "khule mein Namaz bandh karo (do not allow offering of Namaz in public spaces)" and "Jai Shree Ram" were heard from the protesters. Many of them also argued with police personnel deployed there - asking them why they were allowing public
Namaz.
"Enough is enough. Our tolerance for long has been taken as a sign of our weakness. Public spaces are meant for the public at large and not for a particular faith. We will not let this happen and we will continue to register our protest. We know we stand at the right side of truth and therefore we do not have to fear anyone," said Ram Sharan, one of the protesters.
"Yet again hate mongers arrived in Sector-37 to disrupt Juma Namaz and fulfill their agenda of Muslim oppression. Why is administration not filing cases against these repeat offenders and restoring faith of citizens in law and their constitutional rights," said Altaf Ahmad of Gurgaon Nagrik Ekta Manch on Twitter.
